First example (“agency D”)
I met a very pleasant gentleman at a joint inspection this week.
He mentioned that he had recently been working through an agency. Let’s call this firm “agency D”. The agency is regulated by RICS and run by a Chartered Surveyor.
As we were chatting, he said this firm had edited one of his reports without his permission.
He said this was not a typo or a minor amendment. He told me the difference was something like 500%.
I can only assume these costs were increased so the overall quantum would sit above a particular threshold.
Anyway, I asked him a fairly obvious question.
“Did you report it?”
He said no.
He said the agency owed him a lot of money and he wanted to get that sorted out first.
Second example (“lawyer A”)
Someone else that I know told me a similar story.
He said that his report had been edited without his knowledge.
This time, the changes had been made by a lawyer.
He only discovered this on the day of the trial when he was handed a copy of his own report.
Except it was not his report anymore.
Someone had edited the document to make it more favourable to their client’s case. No one had bothered to tell him or seek his approval. By that point, the evidence had already been filed and his edited report was already sitting in the trial bundle.
Again, I asked him if he had reported it.
He said no.
I can understand why he would be reluctant to come forward.
Imagine standing up in court and telling a judge that someone had tampered with your evidence.
That is a serious allegation.
If you get it wrong, you could find yourself in a great deal of trouble. Even if you are right, that decision would not be without its consequences.
Sometimes, I suspect, people simply decide it is easier to turn a blind eye.
Third example (“agency M”)
I will not name the agency involved. They are a large firm and must turn out thousands of reports a year.
I have, however, heard a number of people raise concerns about this company.
Again, the allegations seem to be changes to quantum and increased cost estimates.
As far as I am aware, none of this has been reported.
I’m not sure if this agency is a regulated business. I don’t think it is.
Who would you even report this to?
Fourth example (“agency N”)
This one I witnessed myself.
A number of years ago, I attended a joint inspection with another surveyor. He was a graduate surveyor and, it has to be said, a likeable chap.
The agency was run by a Chartered Surveyor. Let’s call this firm “agency N”. I’m not sure if the business was regulated by RICS at that point in time.
After the inspection, he sent his report to the agency that had instructed him. I was copied into that email.
I later received a copy of his report which came direct from the agency itself.
The surveyor’s name had been changed.
The name had changed from Joe Bloggs BSc(Hons) to Thomas Joe Bloggs MRICS.
This second individual had a similar sounding name and was a Chartered Surveyor. However, he didn’t actually work for the agency.
His name had presumably been plucked from the RICS directory and selected because it was similar to our Joe Bloggs BSc(Hons).
The costs had also changed and, once again, had conveniently increased. The costs were now just above this threshold so the agency’s client could recover their legal costs.
I spoke to the surveyor I had met on site after receiving this amended report. He knew nothing about it.
His name had been changed without his permission. His report had been altered without his permission. He had no idea what had happened.
He was understandably worried.
I reported what I had seen to RICS.
Nothing happened.
I was there. I witnessed it. I have copies of the documents showing the changes that had been made.
No action was taken.
Final thoughts
A lot of what’s happening out there is going unreported.
The stuff that is being reported isn’t being taken seriously, and no one is acting on it.
What we need is for the victims (and these people are victims) to come forward. We also need these complaints to be taken seriously when people are brave enough to speak up.
That said, I’m not hopeful. I’m not expecting anything to change.
It’s all very sad, if you ask me.
Reggie says that I should treat myself to a Mint Magnum. He says that I deserve it and it’ll help me unwind. I think he’s probably right. So that’s what I’m off to do.
Bye for now.